The Best Hip-Hop Albums (so far) of 2017

What's the deal people?!  It's that time again when we go over and evaluate the best projects of the year thus far, as we're halfway through 2017.  This has been an overall dope half-year, with amazing releases from Run The Jewels, Kendrick Lamar, Big Boi, and Joey Bada$$ that have been highly critically acclaimed and in constant rotation.  Have there been better half-year releases?  Absolutely, without a doubt, but this is 2017, and we focus on this year's half-year efforts that deserve to be recognized for overall great quality.  With that being said, let's get into it.

15. MC Eiht- Which Way Iz West?

Production: DJ Premier, Brink Santana

What a dope return for the longtime Compton O.G. himself, MC Eiht.  He returns to the scene with what could arguably be considered one of the best efforts of his career with Which Way Iz West.  Collaborating with the legendary Premo behind the boards on three tracks and scratches on even more tracks, Eiht-Hype sounds rejuvenated, refreshed, and ready to show these young kids what true west coast hip-hop is about.  With stellar cuts such as "My Nia'z", "4 The O.G.'z", and the reunion with Compton's Most Wanted "Last Ones Left", as well as duets with the likes of Lady Of Rage, Xzibit, and B-Real, this albums is a successful return for the former A-Wax.

14. Drake- More Life

Production: Noah "40" Shebib, T-Minus, Boi-1nda, Vinylz, Frank Dukes, NineteenEighty5, Murda Beatz, others

After the overall disappointment, critically, that was Views, Drake went back to what he knew and constructed his own "playlist", More Life.  The results were definitely better, and it does in fact sound like a playlist.  There are many different styles being presented on this album, and it accomplished what it wanted to do, which was make for the missteps of Views.  From the island vibes of "Madiba Riddim" to the trap stylings of "Sacrifices" and the blatant top 40 vibes of "Passion Fruit", there's something for every Drake fan on this release, and it works.

13. Prodigy- The Hegelian Dialectic

Production: KnXwledge, The Alchemist, Beat Butcher, others

We, in the hip-hop community, are still greatly mourning and in shock over the loss of Queens legend, and one-half of the one of the single greatest hip-hop duos of all-time Mobb Deep, Prodigy.  Earlier in the year, P released what has to be considered his most conscious and informative album within his discography, The Hegelian Dialectic.  The album is a ton more spiritual and philosophical than we're used to from "Bandana P", as evidenced with tracks like "No Religion", the anti-political "Tyranny", and "Spiritual War", while climaxing with the INCREDIBLE Alchemist-crafted "Mystic".  P had bars for days already, but with this album he showed he also had jewels to reflect on.  The game lost one of the best to do it, but it's albums like this that really continue to keep his legacy memorable.

12. J.I.D.- The Never Story

Production: J. Cole, Christo, Childish Major, others

Out of Atlanta comes one of the A's brightest, and most sincerely talented, new stars, J.I.D.  Signed to J. Cole's Dreamville's imprint, he delivered a more than decent debut offering, The Never Story, to critical praise and acclaim.  Far and away from the mumble movement that's widely associated with Atlanta nowadays, this young emcee has the songwriting and star appeal the likes of which could truly propel him as the biggest star of his label that's not named Cole.  Cuts like "Hoodbooger", "Lauder" and "Somebody" are excellent cuts that will let people pay more attention to this star in the making.

11. Quelle Chris- Being You Is Great, I Wish I Could Be You More Often

Production: artist, Chris Keys, The Alchemist, others

One of the most intriguing and somewhat eccentric artists from Detroit's underground is Quelle Chris.   Following up his offering of 2015, Innocent Country, this album delves into self-examination with oddball, blunted humor and occasional heaviness.  Arguably his most cohesive album to date, Chris makes it a point to show his insecurities, and his ability to celebrate them throughout the album.  A definite project to endorse among his best work, Quelle Chris brings a depth with this album that, even with his peculiar presentation, should be paid a lot more attention to.

10. Raekwon- The Wild

Production: Dame Grease, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, others

Wu-Tang's residential chef, Raekwon, is seen as one of the most vivid storytellers in the game for over the last two decades.  Widely known as the emcee that dropped one of hip-hop's most iconic albums, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., he has yet to deliver an effort, besides OB4CB2, that measures up to that type of acclaim.  Enter, The Wild.  This album is as close to Cuban Linx-esque material as we've heard in all of his projects.  This album screams of late-nineties NYC hip-hop, as the chef went back to the kitchen and served up some tremendous cuts such as "Marvin" and "This Is What It Comes To" for those missing that good bang-out material we know Rae is obviously more than capable of delivering.

9. Big Boi- Boomiverse

Production: Organized Noize, Mannie Fresh, DJ Dahi, DJ Khalyl, Scott Storch, TM88, others

While we wait with damn near dying breath for either an Outkast album or an Andre 3000 album, at least we have Big Boi to help us along our way, and he returned in grand fashion with his third album, Boomiverse.  Aiming to have us get back to the dance floor and turn our speakers up in grown folk fashion, Big Boi brings an assortment of funk and soul that has been greatly missed within southern hip-hop.  The veteran of over two decades shows the game that he's not a legend for no reason, as cuts like the spaced-aged funk of "Chocolate" and the buttery soulful "Mic Jack" clearly demonstrate.  Arguably the best southern release thus far this year.

8. Talib Kweli & Styles P- The Seven

Production: 88 Keys, Oh No, Khrysis, Marco Polo, Nottz, Dot Da Genius, others

When word got around that NYC greats Talib Kweli and Styles P were getting together for a collaboration project, heads went nuts in anticipation.  The anticipation paid off with their seven-track EP, The Seven.  These two drop jewels as we would always expect them to do and they sound great together doing so.  Over some knocking production and guest assistance from Common, Rapsody, Chris Rivers, and Styles' Lox-mates Jadakiss and Sheek Louch, this is an effort that hopefully will result in a full-length project one day, as these seven cuts alone are exemplary quality hip-hop.

7. Logic- Everybody

Production: artist, 6ix, No I.D., DJ Khalyl, others

DMV rhyme-slinger Logic has been delivering fairly excellent projects since since Def Jam debut, Under Pressure in 2014.  His latest release, Everybody, is once again a conceptual effort that has a character named Atom being reincarnated as every single type of human being in order to pass through the gates of Heaven.  The album is a celebratory yet conflicting look at life and the various types of people that life can present.  The music is very representative of his last Def Jam effort, The Incredible True Story, in which it's very layered and grand, yet Logic himself is still filled with double and triple-timed rhymes with substance and value.  This may very well be his project to date.

6. Oddisee- The Iceberg

Production: artist

One of hip-hop's most underrated emcee/producers is DMV native Oddisee.  Following up his incredible release of 2015, The Good Fight, and 2016's EP, Alwasta, Oddisee delivers more of the same goodness with The Iceberg.  Personal and soulful, Oddisee brings forth a sense of reliability and a  down-to-earth, everyday man aura within his rhymes, touching on subjects close to him over some of the best production one can imagine from him.  Trust me, with cuts like "Like Really", "Things", and "Want To Be", Oddisee won't get slept-on too much longer.  He and his efforts lyrically and musically keep getting better and better.

5. Joey Bada$$- All AmeriKKKan Bada$$

Production: Kirk Knight, Chuck Strangers, Statik Selektah, Like, 1-900, DJ Khalyl, others

Pro Era in the house, as it's most acclaimed artist, Joey bada$$ delivered the album of his young career with All AmeriKKKan Bada$$.  Highly political and educational, Bada$$ took a fiery, yet conscious, route in this disturbing climate we're in politically and socially.  This album is reflective of a young man trying to rally up troops to fight back against the oppressors of today's generation.  While every bit as impressive as his mixtape classics of 1999 and Summer Knights, as well as his debut solo full-length, B4.Da.$$, this stands as his most important.

4. Jonwayne- Album Number Two

Production: artist, DJ Babu, Dibia$e

Cali-based emcee/poet/producer Jonwayne presented one of the most intriguing and personal projects all year with Album Number Two.  Painfully deep and courageously introspective, Jonwayne delves into areas such as addiction, low self-esteem, and acceptance with such transparency that it makes it just as refreshing as it does almost concerning.  Cuts like "Blue Green" and "These Words Are Everything" are poignant and riddled with pain, but therein also lies his messages of hope and determination to make it.  The future looks bright for this artist and efforts like this mean that there's even more where this came from.

3. Brother Ali- All The Beauty In This Life

Production: Ant

It's been five years too long since we've heard anything from Brother Ali.  We last heard him with his album, Mourning In America, Dreaming In Color.  While very dope indeed, we all wanted that Ali sound that got him his acclaim and following in the first place.  He reunited with Atmosphere's Ant to present, All The Beauty In This Life, and our taste buds were delightfully fulfilled.  Summoning the musical and lyrical spirits of prior classics like Shadows On The Sun, The Undisputed Truth, and Us, this album is more about the positivity and beauty that life holds once one reflects and looks into their own lives, in spite of dark moments. Cuts like the anti-pornography ode "The Bitten Apple" and the stunning "Dear Black Son" are presented with such pride and poignancy that you feel him giving you his heart through record. Very powerful and gripping throughout the majority of the album, Brother Ali presents us with an album that is greatly needed in today's times.

2. Kendrick Lamar- DAMN.

Production: Sounwave, DJ Dahi, Mike WILL Made It, Terrace Martin, The Alchemist, 9th Wonder, BADBADNOTGOOD, others

All hail King Kendrick!  How do you follow-up a generational masterpiece such as To Pimp A Butterfly, as well as an equally awe-inspiring mixture of unreleased and unmixed cuts like Untitled.Unmastered?  His answer lies in DAMN.  Gone are the stripped down, melodic, live instrumentation of TPAB in favor of boom-bap and 808s, however Lamar managed to reinvent himself via story, as we have a young man dealing with heavy spiritual issues in a stunning display of conflict, redemption, angst, and confusion.  Many wondered if he could go three-for-three in terms of brilliant major label albums and ride in line with TPAB and good kid, M.A.A.D. City.  The answer is a resounding HELL YEAH!  With this album, his ingenious approach to the game officially makes him the greatest emcee of this generation.

1. Run The Jewels- RTJ3

Production: El-P

Released at literally the end of the year digitally, this album barely missed year-end awards of 2016, but in 2017, it's hands down the best album of the year thus far.  Killer Mike and El-P did it again.  By 'it', I mean hit you in your face with some of the brutal truth and inescapable production you'll ever hear.  Dark, dense, political, and gritty, RTJ3 is every bit as amazing as their other efforts together, and stand as another genuine hip-hop classic in today's times.  Each cut brilliantly blends into he next and their approach to grabbing a hold of your throat and never letting go until you comprehend their agenda is practically effortless.  Cuts like "2100", "Don't Get Captured", and "Down" are no longer just aiming for individual battles, they wanna win the overall war over societal and musical tyranny.  This is a release you'll never soon forget.

Honorable Mentions

Roc Marciano- Rosebudd's Revenge

Vince Staples- The Big Fish Theory

Tha God Fahim- Tha Tragedy of Shogunn

David Banner- The God Box

Big Sean- I Decided

Freddie Gibbs- You Only Live 2wice

Mike WILL Made It- Ransom 2

Your Old Droog- Packs

DJ Quik & Problem- Rosecrans

Goldlink- At What Cost

Bone Thugs- New Waves

Stormzy- Gang Signs & Prayer

As you can see, there have been some rather impressive efforts so far this year, and this doesn't count insane mixtape from Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, and especially Royce 5'9"'s most recent Bar Exam 4.  Now is when we start waiting with heightened anticipation with releases from Nas, The Roots, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Redman, PRhyme, Earl Sweatshirt, Skyzoo, Evidence, the Shady debut of Westside Gunn & Conway The Machine, and Jay-Z's 4:44 project.  Will this year round off as fantastic as the last few years have?  We shall soon see.  Until next time!

Forever Infamous: Long Live Prodigy

What's going on guys and gals?  Folks, this is a very tough one.  They don't get any easier as time goes along.  On June 20th, Was announced on his Instagram page that Albert Johnson, known collectively to the world as Prodigy of Mobb Deep, had passed away at the age of forty-two.  This announcement was made valid by his family and all of the sudden, the hip-hop world stopped and was immediately stunned and impacted.  While unconfirmed and unofficial reports are in fact stating that he succumbed to complications related to his life-long battle with sickle-cell anemia, the wind has been knocked out of the hip-hop family. A couple of years ago, we were rocked by the sudden death of Sean Price, then we were dealt with an even bigger blow, as the legendary Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest had passed from complications relating to his Diabetes.  Now, we in the hip-hop community are dealt with yet another very, very saddening blow that, in all intents and purposes, is a huge loss to the game.

 One of the most influential emcees within the game, the Long Island-bred emcee who proudly ripped Queensbridge Housing Projects with partner-in-rhyme Havoc, was an emcee that struck fear to many a listener, both imagery-wise and lyrically.  We first heard him and Hav as the Poetical Prophets in the early nineties, as they later changed their name to Mobb Deep.  They released their debut album, Juvenile Hell, in their mid teens, but during an age where kid acts such as Shyheim, ABC, Kris Kross, Illegal, and Quo were coming out left and right, Mobb Deep was trying to make their voices heard just as loudly.  While a modest effort, Mobb Deep didn't really make a ton of waves with they debut, in spite of fairly impressive production from the likes of production legends DJ Premier and Large Professor.  As they were trying to figure out what was next for them, they got the call they had been waiting on, as they got signed to Loud Records, and they delivered one of the influential hip-hop albums of all-time with The Infamous.  Many saw that album as their "proper" debut album, and with the help of their legendary single "Shook Ones Pt. 2" and their equally classic follow-up "Survival Of The Fittest", the album was highly considered among the albums that brought the east coast back from the west, who had been dominating with the likes of Deathrow Records.  The album nearly went platinum, but it made Mobb Deep the next heroes of NYC hip-hop.  Prodigy, in particular, was starting to be more in demand due to his level of ice-cold deliveries and a style that was so chilling yet so New York at the same time.

They followed up the monument that was The Infamous with the just-as-amazing Hell On Earth, which produced stingers such as the title track and "G.O.D. Pt. III".  The album was even more brutal with graphic images of violence, paranoia, and despair, but it was Prodigy's captivating style that made you believe every single thing he was spitting out.  Their clout was on the rise rapidly.  Collaborations and guest sixteens from one or both were increasing and they were officially hip-hop heavyweights, in spite of their reputation as bullies on the block, as them along with many of their friends including The Infamous Mobb collective of Ty Nitty, G.O.D. Father, and Twin Gambino were known for inciting fights and small riots.  It became a time where they were on the verge of the allusive platinum plaque, but that would change with their break through album, Murda Muzik, which delivered the anthemic "Quiet Storm" (especially the more known remix with Lil' Kim) and the Scarface-inspired "It's Mine", as the album went double platinum and they officially superstars.  The album was a searing combination of the intensity of The Infamous and the below-zero aesthetics of Hell On Earth, and the result was another treasure from the Mobb.  During this time, he had appearances on projects such as the underrated QB's Finest album, his blistering sixteen on LL Cool J's "Who Shot Ya (remix)", KRS-One's "5 Boroughs", and albums from the likes of Charli Baltimore and Almighty RSO.

However, now was the talk of "Bandana P" going solo for an album, and he did so with H.N.I.C., and it was undeniable banger, as it delivered the lyrically zoned-out "Keep It Thoro" and the haunting cut centered around his sickle-cell anemia struggle "You Never Feel My Pain".  The album went gold and certified him as a more than capable solo artist able to hold it down on his own.  From there, there was a tumble.  It came from the now notorious Hot 97 Summer Jam fiasco involving Jay-Z calling out Prodigy and Nas, as Hovi went so far as to put disparaging photos of P on a big screen in front of everyone.  This messed up P a lot, as it was evidenced on Mobb Deep's next album, Infamy.  We didn't hear the same Prodigy they we had heard before.  He was clearly off a step, as the ridicule and his obsession to destroy Jay-Z took him over.  Lyrically, he wasn't as hitting on all cylinders as he normally was, as at one point P was among the best lyricists in all of hip-hop. The album, as a whole, was decent but not the game-changing epics they had released prior.  As Prodigy continued to try snd find his way back to the lyrical prominence he had been known for, musically the Mobb was in a transition period, as they were caught in a time where crunk-hop was the trend and sounds were more so relegated to the south.  While they still kept it NYC, they would at times veer off with cuts like "Handcuffs" and the Lil' John-crafted "Real Gangstas" that was atypical Mobb.

As time would go on, the Mobb would have a stint with G-Unit, as they produced their only G-Unit affiliated album, Blood Money, and their most recent album, The Infamous Mobb Deep, which was the closest thing we had gotten to classic Mobb in years.  However, Prodigy and Hav were also going back to the mixtape sounding days, with underground projects such as Prodigy's fantastic efforts with beyond incredible producer, and frequent Mobb collaborator The Alchemist, Albert Einstein and Return Of The Mac.  These efforts, along with H.N.I.C. Pt. 2, and appearances on various projects had P back in his zone.  Unfortunately, he had to do a brief bid for firearm possession from 2007-2011. There was even a short-lived issue between he and Havoc, in which some very cstrong, and potentially caret-threatening accusations were being dropped, but fortunately they reconciled and were able to make The Infamous Mobb Deep. During his stint, he seemingly went through a change, for when he came out, his music was more about educating, giving historical facts, and more illuminati referencing more so than the macabre imagery he was depicting before.

Earlier this year, he dropped The Hegelian Dialectic, an album that was based around the teachings of known as famed philosopher Georg Hegel, as he believed that life and the thought process of human beings had a thesis, an anthithesis, and a conclusion.  A deeply philosophical album that showed P's growth as a man and as an artist.  This was surprisingly more spiritual and thought-filled than projects before.  The album, musically, was a very decent showing, especially the crazy, Alchemist-produced "Mystic".  There were plans to continue the Hegelian Dialectic series throughout the year, as well as another Mobb Deep album, and a supposed collaboration album with underground Denmark hip-hop producers The Snowgoons.

We won't get into any and all beefs he had, whether warranted or not, as P's legacy is a ton more about how crazy of a lyricist he was and his huge impact upon the game as a whole.  prodigy's a legend in all aspects and this is a wound that will take a long time to heal from.  For me personally, I was captivated by his mic presence as soon he dropped the now famous lines: "I got you shook off the realness/we be the infamous you heard of us/official Queensbridge murders".  That one part let me know I was in for a bumpy ride, and the result was "Shook Ones" being within my top three favorite singles of all-time.  To this day, within three seconds of hearing that snare, I'm in my own zone.  It's by far one of the most influential songs to ever hit me in my life, and is not the type of cut I need to hear if I'm angry with liquor in my system. It was a song that I could freestyle word for word without missing a step within the first week or two of constantly rotating it.  Hell, The Infamous is one of very few albums that I can freestyle word for word without missing a beat due to just how much I had been banging the album. There was a time nobody could tell me that, besides Nas or Scarface, there was anyone in the world better than P.  Literally nobody.  Much like Illmatic the year before, The Infamous completely and totally changed me.  This came out during a time also where there were non-stop epic releases coming out such as Ready To Die, Midnight Marauders, The Diary, the aforementioned Illmatic, and Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) so I was in hip-hop heaven.  While there was truly nothing like Nas or Face at this time, there was something special about P.  Again, his voice, delivery, and imagery were those of legend and impact quickly.  Even during his lyrically struggling period, I knew P would get his mojo back because he was just way too talented to settle for average and mediocrity.  Almost immediately, within minutes of being told of his passing, friends and people that knew of my fandom of P instantly checked in on me to see how I was doing, and trust me, I thank them.  My feelings were immediately hurt and I was beyond shocked.

When the music world lost Michael Jackson and Prince, time stood still and we were all in another dimension almost outside of our bodies when the losses of these icons were delivered upon us.  In hip-hop, we were like that when 2Pac and Biggie had died.  Over time, for me personally, I was hurt when Sean P had died, as he was among my true favorites on all of rap.  When Phife died, I was saddened as Tribe made a major contribution to my hip-hop upbringing.  However, P was in my top five or ten of all-time bar none.  This emcee was the master of the opening lines.  Stingers such as his opening to "Shook Ones" or even to "Survival Of The Fittest" ("There's a war going on outside no man is safe from/you can run but you can't hide forever/from these, streets that we done took/you looking with your head down scared to look") or "Quiet Storm" ("I put my lifetime in between the paper's lines") and "Keep It Thoro" ("I break bread, ribs, humid dollar bills") showed that P was in his own lane and nobody was touching him in it.  I mentioned quite a few times already about how vivid his rhymes were.  He should, in all truth, be considered among the greatest storytellers to ever pick up a pen.  Every bit as revered as the likes of Face, Slick Rick, or Raekwon.  On cuts like "Cradle To The Grave", "You Could Never Feel My Pain", or "Nighttime Vultures", he painted pictures so clear that you were basically in the same scenes with him and you got the shivers with the imagery.

This is a loss that will be felt for years to come, much like Pac, Biggie, Phife, Sean, or Guru.  For many, Mobb Deep helped define an era in hip-hop that we may never see again.  When NYC was the epitome of hip-hop and the sounds that came from there were historic and far from trendy.  With the loss of P, there will be another gaping void within the game, as a legend has transcended this life into far greater destinations.  However, here on earth, all we have now are his numerous lyrical offerings that displayed his immense talent.  Shouts to the whole NYC, but more importantly to his family, friends, Havoc, Infamous Mobb, Nas, and any other person that has been deeply affected by this enormous loss.  My daily routine was at least one Mobb or P cut per day within my music rotation.  There will be a ton more than usual this week at the very least, and I have a BUNCH of Mobb and P to hold me down, but no matter how much gets played, it'll never be the same again.  Put one in the air for P and always remember kiddies, ain't no such thing as halfway crooks!